ESPN's Williamson Defends Big Brown-Centric Coverage Of Belmont

By John Ourand, Staff Writer

ESPN Defends Big Brown-Focused Coverage Of Belmont Stakes

If he had to do it again, ESPN Exec VP/Studio & Remote Production Norby Williamson said he would not change anything with regard to the network’s production of the Belmont Stakes. ESPN/ABC had been criticized by some for devoting too much of its pre- and post-race coverage to Big Brown, the horse that was vying for a Triple Crown title but finished in last place on Saturday. “This story transcended the event,” Williamson said. “Before the race, the question everybody was asking was, ‘How about that horse.’ After the race, the question was ‘What happened?’” Williamson said that ESPN/ABC likely would have had more traditional post-race coverage if Big Brown had lost after running a full race, focusing more on the winner, Da’ Tara. But when Big Brown seemed to give up, finishing last, “we had an obligation, the way the race finished, to embrace and dissect the story of Big Brown and what happened,” he said. “The winner wasn’t going anywhere. We knew where he was going. But we didn’t know what happened.” Williamson said the decision to follow Big Brown made even more sense when you consider the Eight Belles tragedy at the Kentucky Derby. "I am very, very comfortable and pleased with how we set up and concluded the race."